Spain Insurance

Insurance In Spain

When I first set up my insurance business here in Spain, I was horrified to find that so many expats were not properly covered by their insurance policies, leaving them in a vulnerable position. What’s worse is that they thought they were suitably covered but in reality what they thought they were covered for and what they actually were covered for were two completely different things.

Cultural and language barriers coupled with inadequately trained staff leads to people taking out policies that very often do not suit their needs. Unfortunately, it is not until the time comes to make a claim that these problems come to light. It is therefore imperative that you get the right insurance from the start in Spain, so take the time to consider the following:

The Essentials

1. Health Insurance in Spain

Falling ill is undesirable in any country. Make sure that you and your family protect yourself in Spain with adequate healthcare cover. The social security system can be a minefield for expats so it makes so much sense to take some sort of private cover out, at least as a back up. Before cancelling any UK private insurance cover that you already hold, wait and speak to an insurance advisor in Spain – some policies may be transferable – big companies such as BUPA in the UK can be transferred to the Spanish equivalent, Sanitas.

Main Difference from the UK

Living outside the UK may place a different emphasis on what you expect from a health plan. If illness strikes, you may wish to visit an English Speaking Specialist in Spain rather than use the National Health Service, if travelling lots or moving between the UK and Spain, you may require a policy that covers you for both countries and if you wish to be laid to rest in the UK, you need to consider repatriation and look at health policies that include repatriation in the terms and conditions.

2. Home Insurance in Spain

Your home in Spain is an asset. A house represents a big lifetime investment whether you decide to use the property as your own residence, rent it out or indeed sell it. Floods, fires and break-ins, they all happen in Spain and your home in Spain is at risk of all of the above. Protect your investment – a small premium paid now can avoid any future problems. Find out about the different covers available and ensure you select the best plan for you.

Main Difference from the UK

Most properties are located on urbanizations. All the properties within an urbanization form a community. Most communities have insurance policies to cover public areas and may cover the buildings part of your insurance. However, beware! Many community covers are very basic and you may need additional ‘gap/first loss cover’ to ensure that you are properly protected so prior to making a decision, find out what exactly your community is covered for.

3. Car Insurance in Spain

Driving in Spain can be daunting for even the most proficient drivers. Roads, road signs and driving styles are different to what we are used to, so make sure that you are properly protected.

Main Difference from the UK

In the UK, it is the driver and not the car that is insured. In Spain, it is the car and not the driver that is insured. So if you want to drive someone else’s car, make sure that their car policy covers you to drive. Your own insurance is non-transferable. Find out more from our quick insurance guide.

4. Commercial Insurance in Spain

So you’ve come to Spain to fulfil your dream of running your own business. Well let’s just say that you have opened a can of worms as far as insurances are concerned – if you are setting up a business in Spain, make sure that you have the right insurances in place, because you could be putting all your hard earned effort at risk before you have even got your business off the ground. Prior to getting a quote, find out whether you are required to have a set liability cover by law. Ensure that you know exactly what you are covered for. If renting a commercial unit, ensure that your contents are fully covered and you may find it worth paying for some ´gap´ insurance to ensure you are fully covered.

Main Difference from the UK

Really the key difference is public responsibility cover. Spain still lags behind the US and the UK in terms of liability claims so that the sum insured may be far less than that you would expect from a standard UK policy. Check how much you a covered for before signing on the dotted line. Also policies tend to give you numerous options – when comparing two or more policies check what exactly each policy covers you for so that you are comparing like with like.

5. Pet Insurance in Spain

Dogs roaming freely around the streets and stray cats would lead you to believe that the Spanish have a very relaxed attitude to pet care. On the contrary, Spanish laws regarding pets and dangerous animals, have just been updated and are being enforced. At present there is a huge clamp down on pet owners, ensuring that all paperwork, documentation and insurance are in place.

Main Difference from the UK

Standard pet insurance is usually suffice for the average dog or cat. However some of these will not cover dangerous breeds of dog. Often Spanish household policies will enable you to add in cover for a dangerous dog and will cover the legal amount of public liability covered required.

6. Travel Insurance in Spain

Don’t think that just because you are living in Spain, your all time favourite destination, that you will never leave the country again. It s always good to have a change of scenery, even in paradise! Travel insurance is essential as you will probably be travelling more, visiting family in the UK or running away from them when they come to visit you! There are different types of travel policies and if you are planning to travel more than once a year, you may find it more economical to purchase a multi-trip policy.

Main Difference from the UK

In the event of repatriation, many travel policies will send you back to where you came from. If you start your trip from Spain you will be sent back to Spain- however you may want to be sent back to where your loved ones are.

Get your policy wording in English so that there are no surprises should you need to make a claim and check out if there is any excess to be paid on the policy should a claim be made.